Vehicle lightweighting energy use impacts in U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet
In this article, we estimate the potential energy benefits of lightweighting the light-duty vehicle fleet from both vehicle manufacturing and use perspectives using plausible lightweight vehicle designs involving several alternative lightweight materials, low- and high-end estimates of vehicle manufacturing energy, conventional and alternative powertrains, and two different market penetration scenarios for alternative powertrain light-duty vehicles at the fleet level. Cumulative life cycle energy savings (through 2050) across the nine material scenarios based on the conventional powertrain in the U.S. vehicle fleet range from -29 to 94 billion GJ, with the greatest savings achieved by multi-material vehicles that select different lightweight materials to meet specific design purposes. Lightweighting alternative-powertrain vehicles could produce significant energy savings in the U.S. vehicle fleet, although their improved powertrain efficiencies lessen the energy savings opportunities for lightweighting. A maximum level of cumulative energy savings of lightweighting the U.S. light-duty vehicle through 2050 is estimated to be 66.1billion GJ under the conventional-vehicle dominated business-as-usual penetration scenario.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1395554
- Journal Information:
- Sustainable Materials and Technologies, Vol. 8, Issue C; ISSN 2214-9937
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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